A Trip To Texas With the Boys

Every September near Labor Day weekend, Lance travels to Texas for an annual hunting trip with the guys. It is his time to unleash the testosterone without any restraints.   He tries to make it out to Texas to see his ole buddies twice a year.  About a half dozen guys stay on a  ranch belonging to Ken.  Lance’s good friend from high-school, Paul, has a trailer on the ranch, and this becomes Lance’s home for four days.   They spend the early morning hours and the nights hunting dove.  During the day, the heat takes a toll so their days are consumed with chatting about old times, watching football games, and drinking coke and whisky or beer. I asked Lance how successful he was on the hunting, and he personally didn’t do all too well, but he wasn’t disappointed because it is not the hunting that lures him to Texas, but the reunion with his friends . 

 

Lance is not a picture taker and since I was not there, I don’t have an abundance of photos to commemorate the guys’ weekend.  Fortunately, Lance’s friend Keith sent me some photos.  He was very considerate because he knew I was missing Lance.  Lance will return back to Texas in early December for another hunt, which I know he enjoys and looks forward to.  I don’t hunt, and I have no desire to ever hunt so I will never accompany Lance on these trips.  Plus, I think it is important that he has a guys’ weekend so he can strengthen this brotherly bond even more. 

 

I know there are complaints from his Texas friends that he doesn’t go as frequently as he did when he was single or that his visits are not as lengthy.  I know I get blamed for this, and the truth is I am responsible.  Circumstances have changed.  Lance is married and he has a family, and we like to take family vacations. I don’t think this is peculiar….I mean, most families take family vacations, don't they?  Isn’t that normal?  Moreover, Lance has three children in three different states.  He needs to see them as well.  With his obligations to me, his own kids, and his friends, he just doesn’t have an endless amount of vacation time.  He can’t take a week off each time he travels to Texas, and he can’t travel to Texas three-four times a year anymore, because if he did, he couldn't take a family vacation with me and he would never see his own children. 

 

Change is sometimes difficult to accept, but it’s an inherent part of life, and sometimes it’s actually a good thing, and quite honestly, in this case—it’s a GREAT thing.  Lance is as happy as he has ever been!